Homemade Furikake |Japanese Rice Seasoning

The first order of business on this post just plain has to be pronunciation. Foo-ree-kah-kay. My boys, however, prefer to call it furry khaki. Why? Well, I assume it has something to do with being very silly boys.

Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s talk about what it is… Furikake is like the salt and pepper of Japan. It goes on bowls of rice, gets mixed into onigiri, sprinkled over noodles, on porridge and just about anything else that holds still long enough to get hit with it. This wanton flinging of furikake happens for an excellent reason; because it tastes great and delivers an instant explosion of umami to anything it tops. I find myself looking for more foods to cover with this distinctive seasoning that is briny and earthy with just a touch of seafood essence. If you’ve had it before, you know that there’s nothing to compare to the complete flavour added to dishes where this is present.

I’ll be honest. I’m fixated on furikake. I love this so much that I almost always make more rice than we’ll need in a meal so I can form rice balls to sprinkle with furikake for late night snacks. Sometimes I just open the jar to sniff it a little bit. It’s a weakness.

So what is it exactly? In it’s basic form -the form I’m giving you today- it is toasted sesame seeds, sea salt, nori, bonito flakes** and an optional pinch of sugar*.

**Bonito flakes are dried, paper-thin shaved flakes of tuna. They add a rich seafood taste to the furikake. If you have trouble finding them, you can purchase them through this link . (Full disclosure: This link will take you to Amazon.com. If you purchase the bonito flakes, I will receive an itty bitty commission. )

There are many, many versions of it sold, and just as many, if not more, versions of it made in homes but what I’m giving you today is a good basic leaping off point for adding that little special something to your meals or snacks. We start with raw sesame seeds here, but if all you can find is toasted sesame seeds, simply skip the toasting step and proceed from that point forward.

Do make this, though. Just do. I can’t be the only one who obsesses over these things. I refuse to think that is possible. I need some company on my wacky little furikake island, people.

Oh yes there's nothing better then Furikake on fresh Gohan except a cold spring water bath on a hot summer day in Japan drinking cold Sake and Asahi with a Clan of Yakuza friends in the remote city of Hiratsuka !!!

Bev- Pull up a chair :-)Pamela- No. It's not, but you can still have furikake.jkru- I know. It's habit forming like that, isn't it?Lonnie- Did you get some?Mrs. C- Thank you! I hope you get a chance to try it.

You've made a believer out of me! I can't wait to try this, but I'm going to use the Himalayan pink salt I got from Sustainable Sourcing https://secure.sustainablesourcing.com. The flavor is so much better than regular salt!The plane will be departing for The Island in just a few hours! Let's go!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post. The asian stores are far on the other side of town, and this stuff runs about $4 a bottle. Just about the right price for seasoning, but DH sprinkles it into his hand and eats it just like that. If our grown kids come for a visit and find anything that happened to have been left over, they immediately snarf the last of it. Now I can afford to have a large enough quantity that there's a chance it will always be in the cabinet. When you factor in the "no msg or preservatives" part, it's pretty darned perfect. In fact, smaller jars may find their way into the Christmas stockings of those who will most appreciate them.

Furikake rules! I came here to find a recipe because I don't like the sugar in the commercial stuff. I will be making some with bonito, and some with powdered shrimp. I anticipate that it will be awesome. (Packing my bags to join you on Furikake Island)

I am now hooked. Little bags of furikake at my Asian supermarket cost 5 Euros for about an ounce. You can buy enough ingredients to make two month's supply for that amount. And I do. I heard about Furikake in a Murakami novel (Dance Dance Dance) and found your recipe. Thank you!!

You got me hooked on this stuff! Instead of buying the more expensive sheets, I buy regular nori seaweed which comes in "cakes", and gently toast it a bit by passing it over the gas flame of my stove (far enough above that it doesn't catch fire!) It only takes a second or two, it "shrinks" a bit and becomes fragrant. Then I break up the nori into the chopper box that came with my stick blender, add the other ingredients and pulse until the nori and bonito flakes break up a bit. It's easier to sprinkle this way.

[...] Originally Posted by kgirl Wow. Thanks for sharing! Would not have thought of that! But, then, we dont have seaweed here, either... It's dried seaweed (Nori) like the stuff they make sushi with. It comes in little bottles or packets like spice and you sprinkle it on. Mainstream grocery stores often have it in the Asian food sections its called Furikake. Here is a link to a recipe. Homemade Furikake Recipe | Japanese Rice Seasoning | Foodie With Family [...]

[...] Furikake is a dry Japanese condiment meant to be sprinkled on top of rice. It typically consists of a mixture of dried and ground fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, and salt. Outside Japan, furikake can be found in most Asian groceries (near the katsuobushi) or in the ethnic food aisle of some major supermarkets. You can find a great recipe for homemade furikake on one my favorite new blogs, foodie with family. [...]

[...] Furikake is a dry Japanese condiment meant to be sprinkled on top of rice. It typically consists of a mixture of dried and ground fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, and salt. Outside Japan, furikake can be found in most Asian groceries (near the katsuobushi) or in the ethnic food aisle of some major supermarkets. You can find a great recipe for homemade furikake on one my favorite new blogs, foodie with family. [...]

[...] I mentioned before, there are many variations of furikake, you can even make your own! (Here is a recipe that I found online) I like the plain type of furikake, called nori furkikake – the typical [...]

[…] wasabi and roasted garlic. One of my favorite Japanese condiments is furikake seasoning. I do make furikake, but I keep a commercially prepared jar in my well-stocked pantry as well. Its traditional use is […]

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